Sympathy Kills
by Tvmatchmaker795
Summary: Barney hates the feeling he has inside of him. He can't do anything without thinking about her. After accepting a challenge, Barney's feelings come to light in the form of a song. Not song fic, it just has a song in it.


**Okay so here is my first HIMYM fic. This is just a sad little fic. Reviews are greatly appreciated. I REALLY SUGGEST LISTENING TO THE SONG!**

Barney is sitting lazily at the bar. He should be looking for cute girls to hook up with but tonight he actually isn't feeling it. Yeah, Barney not feeling a one night stand? Impossible right? No. Many people thought that him being a serious relationship was impossible but he did that too with Robin. Robin. Barney gulps another shot of scotch. _Robin._ Barney's heart hurts as he thinks of the brunet beauty that captured and held his heart. Sure he went back to the ways of being a womanizer but that has never filled the void that she left. He tried so hard to move on and forget her but nothing worked. So he had to plaster a fake smile on his face every time _she _showed up because he wasn't about to show her his feelings. Robin seemed happy again after her break up with Don.

Barney goes to get another shot but then an arm wrapped around his and dragged him away. He lets out a growl to warn who ever is interrupting his wallowing time. Barney turns towards the person and is surprised to find it is Ted.

"Okay so I know you're gay and everything but don't rope me into it. I have a reputation to uphold." Barney says harshly to his friend. Unfortunately for him, the alcohol hasn't made it any easier to see Robin sitting at their booth with Lily and Marshall.

Ted just rolls his eyes at his almost sober friend. The only reason he is letting that slide is because of the difficulties that Barney has been having with Robin. Barney told him when Barney became drunk one night and had to crash at his apartment.

_Knock, knock, knock. Ted is startled awake by the sounds of someone at his door. He squints and looks at his clock. It read 3 am. _

"_Who the hell would be up this late?" He murmurs to himself as he struggles to find his fuzzy slippers. He finally gets his slippers on and makes his way out of his bed room. Once again he hears; Knock, knock, knock._

"_I'm coming." He yells out. He is going to give that annoying jerk a piece of his mind once he opens the door._

_Ted reaches the door and opens it suddenly. To his shock, Barney tumbles on top of him. Ted figures out that Barney was probably resting on the door when he opened it. Ted roughly pushes Barney off him. He stands up as Barney rolls onto the cold ground. _

"_Uhhh. . ." Barney mutters. Ted looks at his friend and can immediately tell that he is off his ass drunk. _

"_Get up." Ted pulls Barney off the floor and lets him crash onto the couch. Barney makes a groaning sound before cuddling into his couch pillows. "Please don't try to hump my pillows. It was hard enough to get it out the last time and I had tide to-go!" _

"_D- don'ts ou- you worry, I- I ca-come pe-pre- prepared." Barney stumbles on his word and then pulls out a packaged condom. Ted rolls his eyes. He must have been drinking a pretty strong drink in order to get this drunk. Ted snatches the condom and puts it in his pocket for. . . for safe keeping._

"_Barney why don't I call you a taxi to get you home?" _

_Barney's head shoots up or more like roams lazily up and he scowls as he looks at Ted. _

"_Don'ts you sed- send me back. I- I really don't wanna go back ta that ca-cold place." Barney says sadly. Ted almost feels sorry for him but then remembers that it is Barney. _

"_You can't stay here." _

"_But I wanna be here with you. And Robin." Barney says the last part softly and lovingly. Ted raises an eyebrow. Maybe he can get some info out of drunk Barney. Barney looks around the room. "Wh-where's Robin?"_

"_She's probably at her job. They have to get ready early." Once Ted says this, he sees Barney's face grow sadder. "Why? What's up buddy?" Ted says in a fake baby voice._

"_I- I wanna tell her I st-still love her. Shes should c-come backs to me." Barney falls over on the couch again._

"_Do you still love her Barney?" Ted asks honestly and seriously. Barney nods his head into the pillow. _

"_I- I miss her so much." Barney mumbles. Ted smiles at himself for having Barney confess it to him. It wasn't that hard. And it helped that Barney was drunk. People should all know that it is a rare sight to see Barney so drunk. _

"_She really broke you, huh bud?" Ted pats Barney on the shoulder. Barney nods once again into the pillow. Ted stands up and grabs a blanket. He slowly drapes it over his friend who is already fast asleep._

"Ted?" Marshall's voice snaps Ted out of his trip on memory lane. Ted looks at his friends who are just staring at him.

"Sorry." He quietly says and sits down. "What were you saying?" Ted asks, trying to start the conversation again.

"Well we were all commenting on how sucky most karaoke singers are." Lily says while pointing to an Asian man singing "Rich Girl" by Gwen Stephani. Ted grimaces at the sound of the man belting the chorus at the end of the song.

"Why don't one of us go up there and show them up?" Robin asks. She looks around at the group and scans their reactions. Ted just cringes again, Marshall has a certain glow about him, Lily is shaking her head and Barney. . .well lately she cannot read Barney anymore.

Suddenly Barney stands up. "Challenge accepted. This will be legend-" Without finishing his thought on purpose, Barney rushes up to the stage. He takes hold of the microphone and says. "-ary."

The whole group laughs at the thought of Barney singing. Robin had never heard Barney sing. Ever! Not in the shower, not in the car while listening to the radio. She is really interested in hearing him fail and making fun of him for it.

It seems the whole group except one has that same idea as Barney begins scrolling through the catalog in the karaoke machine. Ted turns to Marshall.

"I can't wait to hear this." He says sarcastically. Marshall chuckles but stops when he sees Lily give him daggers through her eyes. Lily doesn't like that her friends would laugh at one of their own. Barney might deserve a head slap once in a while but that doesn't mean he deserves to be ridiculed.

"Hey all of you, stop it! I don't see you guys growing a set of balls and getting up there. You too Robin. You should treat Barney better." Lily snaps at them. Sometimes she needs to be the one to get their group under control. Marshall and Ted quiet down and look guiltily at their hands. Robin just looks incredulous at her.

"Me? I haven't done anything to Barney." Robin justifies herself.

"You think." Ted adds softly. The sound of music startles the group and they all look up at their friend. Neither of them can place where each of them have heard the tune but is sound vaguely familiar.

**_(NOW PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SONGIT IS TREY SONGZ CAN'T BE FRIENDS. IT REALLY HELPS THE MOOD!)_**

Barney gulps loudly and closes his eyes. He was really hoping that the scotch would kick in now but it hasn't. Damn his uncanny abilities to remain sober after drinking alcohol. He just feels like getting all of his feelings out of his chest. As the beginning of the song starts to play, he opens his eyes and finds Robins eyes in the crowd. Turning away shyly, Barney holds the microphone close to his mouth. He is nervously awaiting his first line. Hearing his queue, Barney takes a deep breath and starts to sing.

**Look what this girl… did to me****  
****She didn't cut me off from a good good love****  
****She told me that those days where gone**

Barney starts to sing sadly into the microphone. He looks up at his friends and feels a slight tug of victory as he sees their faces. They all look in shock except Lily. Lily has been the only one to hear him sing.

**Now I'm sitting here goin' half crazy****  
****'Cause I know she still thinks about me too****  
****And it ain't no way in hell****  
****That I can be just friends with you**

Barney points out into the crowd for dramatic effect and lets his arm slowly come back to him. He can see everyone's eyes dart around to see who broke the singers heart. Barney didn't necessarily point to Robin but his group of friends got it. He closes his eyes and lets the next part take over him.

**And I wish we never did it****  
****And I wish we never loved it****  
****And I wish I never fell so deep in love with you and now it ain't no way we can be friends**

Robin is so shocked to hear Barney's voice be so soothing. And the way he sings with his emotions and lets all of it out just makes her swoon. But then the ugly reminder that she was the one who did this to him, leaves an ugly taste in her mouth. Her heart breaks when she listens to the words. **  
****The way it felt no fakin' it****  
****Maybe we were movin' just a little too fast****  
****But what we've done we can't take it back**

Barney keeps his eyes closed through the next part. He doesn't want to see Robin's face. He knows that she will seem sympathetic towards him but that's all it will be. Pity and sympathy. It hurts him so much to think about it.

**Now I'm sitting here halfway crazy****  
****'Cause I know she still thinks about me too****  
****And it ain't no way in hell****  
****That I can be just friends with you**

Barney opens his eyes and he gazes around the room once more. He spots Robin with that dreaded look on her face. Sympathy.

**And I wish we never did it**

Barney winces as he tries to look away. He decides to look around the room once more.

**And I wish we never loved it****  
****And I wish I never fell so deep in love with you and now it ain't no way we can be friends**

**And all I can say is****  
****La la la la la la la (la)****  
****La la la la la la la la la (la la la ooh)****  
****La la la la la la la la la la (hey)****  
****Ain't no tellin' what we could have been****  
****Ain't no tellin' what we could have been (no)**

Ted is in awe. His friend is so intense and so awesome at singing. He sees Barney close his eyes and he can tell that Barney is preparing for a real emotional part.

**And if I knew it ends like this****  
****I never would have kissed you cause I fell in love with you****  
****We never would have kicked it****  
****Girl now every things different****  
****I've lost my own recoverin' my friend**

Barney lets out a slight yelp that is in tune with the song. He feels his eyes getting water but refuses to acknowledge them. **  
**

**That's why I wish we never did it****  
****Oooh yea****  
****And I wish we never loved it (I wish we'd never loved it)****  
****And I wish I never fell so deep in love with you and now it ain't no way we can be friends (we can't be friends)**

**La la la la la la la****  
****La la la la la la la la la****  
****La la la la la la la la la la**

Barney finishes singing and opens his eyes. He is surprised to find everyone in the bar standing up and cheering for him. He smiles as he makes his way down. Along the way, several people slap him on the back and try to comfort him. He just flashes them a smile and makes his way further away. He also has several girls slip him numbers. Normally he would so enjoy that and make this whole sad thing into a scam to get girls but it hurt too much to sing again.

"That was awesome Barney! Come get a drink. Hell I will buy you three." Ted yells out. He smiles at the group before looking back at Barney. Barney shakes his head.

"I think I am good. I have got to go." Barney says to them. He quickly rushes out the door and into the fresh air. Barney releases the breath that he didn't know he was holding. He bends over and stares at the snow that is on the ground. He catches his breath and tries to slow his heart beat.

Finally getting some air, Barney stands up and shivers in the cold New York winter. He looks up and down the street. He sees the street lamps illuminating the night. Taking a deep breath, Barney starts to walk. He doesn't know where he is heading to but anywhere his better than there.

_Comments? Reviews?_


End file.
